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A new biopic from the studio behind “Jesus Revolution” and “I Can Only Imagine” promises to tell the powerful story behind successful Australian music duo for KING + COUNTRY (Luke and Joel Smallbone) and their sister, Rebecca St. James.

Described by American Songwriter as “Australia’s answer to Coldplay,” for KING + COUNTRY is among the industry’s most decorated duos. In 2012, the two brothers — Joel and Luke Smallbone — released their debut album Crave, which led to them being recognised as one of Billboard’s “New Artists to Watch”.

Crave was followed two years later by Run Wild. Live Free. Love Strong., which won a Grammy Award. Their 2018 album Burn the Ships, which was certified gold — including single “God Only Knows,” which was certified platinum.

Across their career, the duo have been nominated for eight Billboard Music Awards — winning one of them — seven Grammy Awards (of which, they won four), and dozens of GMA Dove Awards.

In the late 1980s, decades before Joel and Luke released their first album, their sister Rebecca Smallbone (known professionally as Rebecca St. James) was already performing, releasing her first full-length album in the early 1990s.

In 1996, then aged just eighteen years old, St. James released her third studio album, God, which made it onto the Billboard 200 list and was certified gold, as was her 1998 album, Pray, which also won her a Grammy Award.

But even before St. James rose to fame, her father, David Smallbone, ran a music production company in Sydney, Australia. David has been described by Hope Nation as “a driving force behind their music”.

So what is the story behind this Australian family, their migration to the United States, and their remarkable musical journey ever since?

This is the story of Unsung Hero, a new biopic releasing in US theatres from late April this year — directed by none other than Joel Smallbone (who plays David Smallbone in the film) — and featuring Jonathan Jackson, Terry O’Quinn and Candace Cameron Bure alongside Australian actress Daisy Betts, who plays David’s wife, Helen.

Encouragingly, the film seems to fly in the face of postmodern attempts to deconstruct the family and a Hollywood narrative that caricatures families (and fathers in particular) as the enemy — holding young people back from their dreams.

A key quote highlighted in the trailer flatly contradicts this narrative, declaring: “Your family — they’re not in the way. They are the way.”

According to the official synopsis:

“When David Smallbone’s successful music company collapses, he moves his family from Down Under to the States, searching for a brighter future. With nothing more than their seven children, suitcases, and their love of music, David (for KING + COUNTRY’s Joel Smallbone) and his pregnant wife Helen (Daisy Betts) set out to rebuild their lives.

Based on a remarkable true story, Helen’s faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold onto theirs. With their own dreams on hold, David and Helen begin to realise the musical giftedness in their children, who would become two of the most successful acts in Inspirational Music history: five-time Grammy Award-winning artists for KING + COUNTRY and Rebecca St. James.”

In the lead-up to the film, for KING + COUNTRY has released an updated version of the ’90s hit “Place in this World”, featuring Michael W. Smith, who originally released the song in 1991.

Although Joel Smallbone has acted in a number of past film projects, the biopic is the first that he has directed as he seemingly increases his involvement in the Christian film industry. Last year, Joel appeared in the Christmas live-action musical Journey to Bethlehem, where he starred as King Herod’s eldest son, Antipater.

The Daily Declaration reached out to the film’s distribution team to confirm whether or not Unsung Hero will be released in Australian theatres and — if so — when.

Further information can be found on the film’s official website.